The Oculus Quest is mainly being marketed as an all-in-one VR gaming system, but I see much potential for classroom lessons.

The Oculus Go delivered a VR view, but the Oculus Quest provides us with interactions.

One major difference between the Quest and the Go is the lack of motion sickness with the new device.

The 6 degrees of freedom (6DoF) provides mobility for the student to walk forward, backward, left, right, jump up and squat down. In other words, they can move around just like they would in real life.

The affordable starting price of $399 for 64 GB is comparable to other classroom devices, such as Chromebooks, laptops and iPads.

between the Quest and the Go is the high cost of the apps. By contrast, the majority of my Oculus Go apps were free.

After collecting data on those educators’ well-being, observations of classrooms and student behavioral reports over the course of a year, we found that teachers who received emotional regulation training were more emotionally supportive, demonstrated greater sensitivity to student needs, and provided more positive and productive classroom environments. Furthermore, when assessing teachers’ stress levels, those teachers noted considerably less distress, and an improved ability to manage their emotions.

In the face of stressful situations, I instead used techniques like deep breathing and mindful walking to calm my body and mind, gaining that heightened self-awareness to thoughtfully respond to the issue at hand.

The Babson Survey Research Group, an organization that tracks online enrollment, notes that between 2012 and 2016 the percent of online enrollment in universities increased 17.2 percent while overall enrollment decreased.

As Charters Face Growing Opposition, NewSchools Summit Makes Its Case

for the past 21 years its organizer, the Oakland, Calif.-based nonprofit known as NewSchools Venture Fund, has also put millions of dollars into novel schools in public districts

Charter schools operate with public funding, and sometimes philanthropic support, but are managed by an outside organization that is independent from local district oversight. In California, they are run by nonprofit organizations with self-elected boards. (For-profit charters are outlawed.)

Their supporters and operators—who make up the vast majority of the 1,300-plus attendees at this year’s Summit—say the model offers the flexibility needed to introduce, test and adopt new curriculum, tools and pedagogical approaches that could better serve students, particularly in low-income and minority communities.

Rocketship Education was an early showcase for blended learning, where students rotate between working on computers and in small groups with teachers. Summit Public Schools, a network of charters that now claims a nationwide footprint, promotes project-based learning assisted by an online learning platform.

But charters have also attracted an increasingly vocal opposition, who charge them with funneling students, teachers and funds from traditional district schools. Aside from raising teacher salaries, a sticking point in the recent California teachers’ strikes in Los Angeles and Oakland has been stopping the growth of charter schools.

Detractors can point to fully-virtual charters, run by for-profit companies, that have been fined for misleading claims and graduating students at rates far below those at traditional schools. At the same time, research suggests that students attending charter schools in urban regions outperform their peers in traditional school settings.

While the first decade of this century saw double-digit percentage increase in the number of such schools, it has almost entirely plateaued (at 1 percent growth) in the 2017-2018 school year, according to data from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Since edtech varies from district to district and state to state, it’s unlikely that an IT candidate will be up-to-speed on the current system in use. Alabama solves this problem by offering the Alabama Chief Technology Officer certification program.

It is critical for those in K-12 IT leadership to understand the unique customer service needs of the education industry. When technology doesn’t work, it throws a wrench into an entire day of learning. Educators need a fast fix and responsive service. Effective tech leaders will delegate by teaming up with tech-savvy teachers who can serve as school tech leaders. This strategy allows for an on-site tech expert to step in to put out fires before the tech expert arrives.

Former teachers can also make strong chief technology officers because they understand both tech and education. This allows them to build trust with the staff, which is a critical component to launching new technology initiatives.

Digital Game-Based Learning in Higher Ed Moves Beyond the Hype

Toolwire and Muzzy Lane, two digital game-based learning (DGBL) vendors that are making significant strides in higher education through their “serious game” products. The state of DGBL in higher ed is not nearly as prevalent and accepted as it is in K-12, but growing quickly.

Serious games feature evidenced-centered design, whereby data is collected, analyzed and adapted to the knowledge level of the player

Andy Phelps, director of the Rochester Institute of Technology Center for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity (MAGIC) and executive committee member of the Higher Education Video Game Alliance (HEVGA),adds that “game-based learning has the opportunity to really challenge our assumptions about linear modes of educational interaction.”

The Challenge of Creating Worthy GamesBoth Toolwire and Muzzy Lane DGBL products are not of the “Triple A” PlayStation 4 and Xbox One variety, meaning they do not have all the high-fidelity, digital-media bells and whistles that are inside the heavily advertised war games and sports games geared toward the more than $99 billion global video game consumer marketplace, according to gaming market intelligence company Newzoo.

the state of DGBL in higher education consists of very effective digital games of less-than-Triple A fidelity coming out of private companies like Toolwire and Muzzy Lane, as well as from a good number of college and university game design innovation centers similar to RIT’s MAGIC. These include the Games+Learning+Society (GLS) Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; the University of Southern California Interactive Media and Games Division, the Carnegie Mellon University Entertainment Technology Center and the New York University Game Center.

Mental health of college students and Lee’s new book: “Delivering College Mental Health”

Join Bryan Alexander and Lee Keyes, executive director, Counseling Center at the University of Alabama, and author of Delivering Effective College Mental Health Services for an engaging live discussion on the future of mental health in higher education.

Bryan plans to ask Lee about unfolding trends in college student mental health and his thoughts around the rise in anxiety and stress. We will explore how universities are changing their approaches to student mental health and what roles technology may play in harming or helping psychological well-being.

What questions or thoughts do you have? Join and take part in the discussion!

Lee about “Mobile First” – like First Aid. Often by text and email. after Bryan asked how Adjuncts can deal with such situations, if

Counseling Centers need those additions.
Mobile First apps.

most crisis situations are a form of panic. if addressed quickly, one can prevent growing and turning into a major episode.

mindfulness can be different for the different type of issues of students.

libraries as the campus community center.

can be done on

conflation of immaturity and irresponsibility with stress and panic. Latter might be expressed in a way it is immature, but one has to meet them where they are, not judgement and denial, which will make it worse. Tough love will not help. Upholding classroom expectations and rules, but can be supportive at the same time. When pressed by time

Daniel Stanford De Paul. Cohort fundamentals of good teaching. instead of “fail safely”